guillotineroom | [elevator] [cerberus]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He lifts a hand slowly and ends up just grabbing onto her forearm, nodding weakly, but most of his energy is going to getting out the tears he needs to get out before his mind clears.]

[ Just going to pull him to her shoulder so he can cry it out, hand behind his head. ]

Let it out, love.

[This is honestly so annoying . . . there's a tight thread of annoyance in the hysteria, but for a while, trying to get it under control just backfires, and he starts up again. But after a time, it finally does pass out of him and he's left scrubbing his eyes in irritation, trying to catch his breath. Ugh.]

[ Just going to hold him until he's calmer and lifting her hands to gently wipe his tears. And using the hem of her skirt. ]

... no arguments on who to lower. We'll get them down.

[ Even if Bugbear is high up too and she's tense but they're not as high as Kraken wtf ]

[He does, eventually, lean back, not shrinking away from her but as if moving out of the space of his own tantrum to take a breath and center himself.

Then:]

. . . No. I'm willing to discuss.

If you wish, but we can't count on the possibility that other teams will lower Kraken seeing this right now. Not when the risk of them being raised is so high.

Is it? They don't need to be lowered. They only need to not be raised.

[He takes another breath, struggling to his feet again to squint out through the bars and begin counting.]

[ Stepping next to him to look too. Bugbear, Basilisk and Nymph... and when she glances down, Unicorn is low too... ]

...

[He's quiet for a time, looking out across the fog.]

. . . Kraken will only be raised if another team is outright trying to kill them. There's no mistaking the outcome of the action. A team would have to be willing to take that on themselves to make that vote. And so far, no one has. . . . I don't want them to be in the top half when the game ends, either. But the danger is less immediate . . . a team voting for Bugbear, or Sphinx, might not think they're doing fatal harm, but if more than one team thinks that same way, and people continue to avoid Tsuchigumo and Unicorn . . .

I don't know.

Then perhaps... we leave them be. And honor our agreement with Bugbear.

[ She sounds both confused and defeated. ]

No matter what we do... bloody HELLS.

[ Whoops, sorry for the big angry punch that's going to hit and shake the bars of the cage, Saturn!! And she'll just press her head against the bars. ]

Swiving... Thrice-damned...

[He startles, taking in a breath, but then he reaches out to spread a palm against her back and lean in with a soothing weight.]

. . . Yes. No matter what we do.

[ She isn't crying, but she is stiff, until Saturn leans in.

Her tail moves around his side. ]

...

I'll follow your lead.

[He curls his tails around hers, too.]

I'm far from deciding. . . . I want there to be a good choice. But there isn't one.

Nay, there isn't.

[ A sigh. ]

From that high up... if they aren't lowered enough... they'll need a lot of healing.

[ She should conserve her energy. ]

. . . Yes. I don't want that for them. Even if they survive. Imagine the agony . . .

I'll tell this to you now just in case. I have the ability to fully heal myself. If it comes down to it, I don't want you wasting any energy on me, no matter how bad it looks . . . it's Azelf's power. I'll pass out for a time and won't be able to be awakened, but I'll be fine when I do wake up. And then I'll help take care of the rest of you.

Aye... I'll keep that in mind. Don't think I won't come and hold you for a spell, though.

[ Just staying beside him for now. ]

Honestly, you and Aymeric are so bloody frustrating at times. And yet I still love you both all the more for it. In your own ways, of course.

Ha . . . what did we do this time?

[With good humor, though, smiling over at her, tails draped across her back.]

Just be yourselves.

[ And she'll just reach over to turn his face her way and lower his head to kiss above his forehead. ]

I'm sorry we have to go through this. But I'm also glad we're all together to look out for each other.

Ah—

[Quick Cerberus everyone needs forehead kisses stat! He wraps his arms around her for another hug in return.]

Me too. I rely on all of you, you know.

You know in times like this, you all trying to think logically among all these fiery emotions is important. Thank you, even though I know your heart is hurting just as much.

[ Just- going to hug and hold him tight too. ]

I'm glad... you let yourself be vulnerable when you had to, too. I'll always be here to hold you whenever you need, alright?

[elevator] [cerberus]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject